What is technology’s role in our work to create an equitable world?
Who is part of technology development, who funds that development, and how we put technology to use all influence the outcomes that are possible. To change those outcomes, we must – all of us – shift our relationship to technology, how we use it, build it, fund it, and more. In The Tech That Comes Next, Amy Sample Ward and Afua Bruce – two leaders in equitable design and use of new technologies – invite you to join them in asking big questions and making change from wherever you are today.
This book connects ideas and conversations across sectors from artificial intelligence to data collection, community centered design to collaborative funding, and social media to digital divides. Technology and equity are inextricably connected, and The Tech That Comes Next helps you accelerate change for the better.
AMY SAMPLE WARD believes that technology should be accessible and accountable to everyone, especially communities historically and systemically excluded from the digital world. They are the CEO of NTEN, a nonprofit creating a world where missions and movements are more successful through the skillful and equitable use of technology. Amy’s second book, Social Change Anytime Everywhere, was a Terry McAdam Book Award finalist.
AFUA BRUCE is a leading public interest technologist who has spent her career working at the intersection of technology, policy, and society. Her career has spanned the government, non-profit, private, and academic sectors, as she has held senior science and technology positions at DataKind, the White House, the FBI, and IBM. Afua has a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering, as well as an MBA.
Ruha
Endorsements
"Principled and pragmatic, The Tech That Comes Next guides us in the challenging work of creating the social infrastructure required to transform the relationship between technology and society. It is a must read for everyone who knows we can do better than the tech we have now!"
Ruha Benjamin
Author of Race After Technology
Sabrina
Endorsements
"For technologists who believe in building a future where we all can thrive, this book is your lighthouse and your source code."
- Sabrina Hersi Issa
Human rights technologist
Andreen
Endorsements
"Amy and Afua invite us to stay rooted in keeping people at the forefront of our thinking and designing of technology and the policies that guide its deployment in our lives."
Andreen Soley
Director, Public Interest Technology, New America
Jim
Endorsements
"If you really want to see people using better technology to bring about a more equal and just world, mine these pages for a handful of actionable ideas!"
Jim Fruchterman
Founder & CEO, Tech Matters
Danielle
Endorsements
"Rather than oversimplifying with how-tos, Bruce and Sample Ward create a framework for discussions within and between critical groups who work in this space (communities, technologists, social impact organizations, funders, and policymakers) to examine what building this future will require of us today."
Danielle Robinson
Executive Director, Code for Science and Society
Rick
Endorsements
"Change isn’t a checklist; it’s a conversation. Amy and Afua invite us to dream of a better, more equitable future – and to take the steps necessary to make it a reality."
Rick Cohen
Chief Operating Officer, National Council of Nonprofits
Doug
Endorsements
"The Tech That Comes Next expertly ties together the important roles played by technologists, funders, policymakers, and social impact organizations and offers readers an invaluable holistic framework to tackle seemingly intractable problems related to improving our tech future."
David Ryan Polgar
Founder and Director, All Tech Is Human
Storme
Endorsements
"Afua Bruce and Amy Sample Ward have created a path for us to leverage the power of technology in the pursuit of a more equitable and just future. Whether you are a funder, social impact organization, techie, or community organizer - there is something for you within the pages of The Tech That Comes Next."
Storme Gray
Executive Director, Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy
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Contact Amy & Afua
We are frequent keynote speakers, presenters, and advisors - and would love to hear what you're planning and how we can help you with it!
Whether you'd like to invite us to your next event, collaborate on a project, or bring the book into your office or classroom, we are always interested in hearing about what you're working on and how we can build an equitable world together.
Who is part of technology development, who funds that development, and how we put technology to use all influence the outcomes that are possible. To change those outcomes, we must – all of us – shift our relationship to technology, how we use it, build it, fund it, and more. In The Tech That Comes Next, Amy Sample Ward and Afua Bruce – two leaders in equitable design and use of new technologies – invite you to join them in asking big questions and making change from wherever you are today. 
AMY SAMPLE WARD believes that technology should be accessible and accountable to everyone, especially communities historically and systemically excluded from the digital world. They are the CEO of NTEN, a nonprofit creating a world where missions and movements are more successful through the skillful and equitable use of technology. Amy’s second book, Social Change Anytime Everywhere, was a Terry McAdam Book Award finalist.
AFUA BRUCE is a leading public interest technologist who has spent her career working at the intersection of technology, policy, and society. Her career has spanned the government, non-profit, private, and academic sectors, as she has held senior science and technology positions at DataKind, the White House, the FBI, and IBM. Afua has a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering, as well as an MBA.
